If I could be anyone in the world, I'd be Agatha Christie. Not as she is now; when she was alive. Or I'd be a character in one of her books.

She knows people:

...the big entrance lounge was the favourite place for the afternoon tea drinking. The elderly ladies enjoyed seeing who came in and out, recognising old friends, and commenting unfavourably on how these had aged.

She knows the social etiquette of the upper classes and she knows fashion. Her stories are set in my kinda era. She's my kinda lady!

Anyway, I have landed in Agatha Christie heaven. I have found the motherlode of Agatha Christie books in a junk store. Of course, I'll never reveal my source but you can be reassured that there will be many, many visits to replenish the well.

Gosh, has it really been a whole week since my last post? Time goes so fast around here.

We've spent all day eagerly awaiting the piles of snow the telly people have been predicting and we've been horribly let down. Sure, it was cold and a bit windy, but there was no snow. None. Not even a drop of icy rain fell.

Fingers crossed there will be snow soon. I have the cutest little outfit to wear when it does get here.

Monday, June 16, 2008

I am loving the number of secondhand/junk/antique/thrift stores here in North Otago. Not only are the shops not as picked over as they are in the city, their overheads are much lower so the prices are much better too.

Jules' days off are usually Mondays and Tuesdays. We try and organise it so that I get some time away from Remy and Jules gets some time with him. I usually skip out the door with my weekly pocket money and head straight out to get myself some bargains.

Today I only had time to go to St Vincent de Paul and a place called Waitaki Traders. For some reason, it takes me foreveeeeeeeeeer to visit these stores. I like to look at everything and I seem to enter a little world where time slows down for me but seems to speed up in real life.

I got quite a haul of belts today. This leather one is very, very soft and worn - I like that it has history and that I'll be able to give it a new life.

A square silk scarf. I'm usually a more is more sort of girl so this is very restrained item for me.

I bought the salt and pepper shakers for Jules but they're not really to his taste (I think his exact words were "dear god, those are hideous"), so they're destined for another family member who I hope will like them.

The photo makes this look bigger than it is - it's actually quite a small dish, possibly a lolly dish, and it's an uneven oval shape.

Old glass bottles for pretty wild flowers in the summer time.

I love this clutch! It's leather with a silk lining and it's in perfect condition. Best of all, it cost 50 cents. SCORE!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

I luuuuuurve Friday night telly. TV3 is all BAM! BAM! BAM! from 7.30 with America's Next Top Model, Rove and Project Runway. There's no better way to end the week. Unless I get to put my feet up and enjoy a bucket, oops, glass of red wine while Jules baths Remy.

Want to know one of my little secrets? I'm athiest and I love love love icons. So much so that I collect them.

I'm fussy with my icons so I only have Mary and Jesus ones. And they have to have gold on them. Lots of gold. More is more after all.

I've come upon a little piece of heaven on earth in my lovely new home town - it's called the Holy Shop, and it is full to overflowing with icons. I picked up these two little ones yesterday and I'm already planning my next trip.

Why Remy's not sleeping tonight is, for once, not a complete mystery. I think he might still be wired from the espresso he drank at 3.

I know, I know, it's irresponsible to give a baby coffee any time after lunch.

But, seriously, it was an accident. Really. Remy is fatally attracted to anything he's not allowed - my cellphone, odd bits of dirt off the floor, electrical sockets - and today it was my cup of coffee. And that child is lightening fast.

So, there you go, it was an accident. And by goodness we're paying the price tonight.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Country life is treating us just fine. Jules is working hard and Remy is so busy all day that he's never slept better. I seem to spend my days trotting about, accosting unsuspecting shopkeepers and talking their ears' off.

I've found an amazing array of junk shops full full full of treasures for me to decorate our home with (much to Jules' disgust, who, by the way, has wildly different taste to me. Why did I find this out AFTER having a baby with him?). Today I bought two Crown Lynn cups for 20 cents each. Yes folks, you read that correctly, 20 CENTS each. I've landed in heaven.

We're still unpacking the house so I'm afraid there are no photos from me today because the cord is ... around ... here ... somewhere ... but as soon as I find it there will be photos galore.